Trump's Speech to the CIA and First Press Conference

I missed blogging yesterday because I was very wrapped up in the post-inauguration happenings on the television.  There is much to say about Trump's first executive orders, the "skinny budget," his administration's statements on the benefits of his energy plan, and an intriguing if under-discussed idea called the "border adjustment tax".

But today I feel I have to address President Trump's speech to the CIA, which was jaw-dropping.

You would expect, when addressing the CIA for the first time, the President to give some sort of indication as to what his plans will be for the intelligence sector.  Surely there is something to be said about, for instance, tensions with Iran, or perhaps the CIA's staffing issues, or, you know, anything substantive at all.

Instead what we got was ... well, just watch for yourself.  He throws the CIA some vague love, but discusses nothing substantive.  He spends most of his speech talking about his rallies, his speeches, the media, who voted for him as opposed to who didn't, etc. 

It was an insane speech.  Who cares who voted for him or not?  He's the President now.  He's been sworn in.  The campaign is over.  I, for one, would love to hear what his plans for the intelligence sector might be.  I'm sure if I was a CIA employee I'd feel even more strongly about it.

There's been a lot of reason for concern for a Trump presidency, but the verdict's been out on Candidate Trump vs. President Trump.  The speech to the CIA is not reassuring in this regard.  This is not the speech of a man who is prepared to govern; it is the speech of someone who sounds like he just lost an election.

As marchers in cities throughout the United States and throughout the world set record numbers for protest, estimated by many to be the largest protests since the Vietnam era, Donald Trump doubled down on the spectacle of his CIA speech with his first ever press conference, led by charmer Sean Spicer.

The question-less press conference amounted to a bunch of whining about the how the media discussed the size of President Trump's inauguration.  And that was it.  Executive orders, the repeal of Obamacare, plans for the economy, you name it: nothing else was discussed in detail.

That's it.  That's President Trump's first press conference.  A man who looks very tired and stressed out essentially saying "SCREW YOU" to the media and then leaving.

The Trump Presidency is officially on.  Trump won, he was sworn in, and now he's the President.  And yet what we are hearing is still, in essence, his stump speech.  And not even the positive elements of his stump speech - not even plans to Make America Great Again.  This is just whining about media, whining about crowds, whining about losers, etc.

Don't take my word for it - watch the clips above.  And then find a loved one and tell them you love them, because holy cow.